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In this episode of Game Industry Career Guide Podcast, I answer a question from Chris B., who’s wondering whether a computer science degree would be helpful to a video game design career, or in the video game industry in general?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why a computer science (CS) degree is helpful for a job in game design

Table of Contents

Video games are more popular than ever, and more young people than ever are thinking about making video games for a living. And whether you’re considering game design, art, programming, or management, video game-related college degrees are a popular way to get the necessary training to start your career.

You’re probably already familiar with the handful of “video game schools” such as Full Sail University and DigiPen Institute of Technology. (They advertise everywhere, so they’re hard to miss!) But did you know that dozens of other schools also offer game-related degrees and certificates? Read more ›

I recently got this question from Jim, regarding his son’s game development career:

“My son is a freshman at a university with one of the Top 10 video game programming curriculums in the US according to Princeton Review Magazine. He says that he wants to drop out and self-teach himself to be a video game programer. I totally disagree with dropping out of college. What do you think?”

I don’t know Jim and I don’t know his son. But this question resonated with me in a big way. Not only because his son is about to make an important life decision that will tangibly impact his future. But also because I, myself, dropped out of school during my 3rd year of college and have been reflecting on that decision ever since. (That was back in 1995, so I’ve had ample time to think it over.)

So here are my thoughts on whether Jim’s son (or anybody else – maybe even you?) should or should not drop out of college and “go it alone” before starting a career as a professional game developer. Read more ›

This article is part of our Video Game Job Hunt Guide. Read the full guide to learn how to write a strong resume, build a winning portfolio, ace your job interviews and more.

Do you need the hat and tassel, or is talent enough?

Art student Jessica Parker wrote in to ask: “How important is a degree vs a portfolio when applying for an art position? I’ve heard very polarizing opinions on that front.”

I’ve heard this discussed many times between artists as they plan out their careers in the game industry. It’s important because school is time-intensive and expensive, so the idea that you could skip the education and get a job just by building a kick-ass portfolio is an attractive option.

But the answer is more complicated than it might appear. As it turns out, “degree vs. portfolio” is a trick question – with an even trickier answer. Read more ›